Not a Date
by seeleybaby
Summary: Spoilers for The Man in the Outhouse. A look at what might have happened after their dinner. A one shot split into two mirroring scenes.


This is a little one shot, split into two mirroring scenes.

Booth's POV, sort of...

They'd caught one another sneaking extra glances through dinner, but since each was also guilty, it wasn't possible to do much about it.

They'd had Thai food, because in the end, he wasn't about to refuse her anything. Not after the way she'd opened up emotionally. No sir. What was gnawing at his stomach, though, was what she'd said. The sting of rejection….he knew it. And he also knew he needed to be careful.

She'd shifted, from brain to heart, tonight, and he hadn't been prepared for it. Usually he was the one placing her hand on the gearshift, so to speak, but…this time had been all her.

So he was careful to keep his touch on her back the exact same. Not lighter than normal as he walked her up to the door of her apartment, and not any stronger.

When they arrived to her door, she turned, and he knew by the look on her face she was about to change something.

"Are we on a date, Booth?"

Any other woman would recognize his pause as affirmation, but when he met her eyes after a moment, she was still wondering.

"Well, Bones. I don't know" he shrugged one shoulder, deciding to be honest.

She nodded. "Okay."

Booth watched as she reached into her coat pocket for her keys, and he stilled her hand. "Why did you ask me that, Bones?"

She bit her lip and shrugged one shoulder. "I don't know. It just felt different tonight."

He tilted his head in a slight nod. "I concur"

She let the side of her mouth tip up in a small smile at his use of her phrase. "So, what now?"

He inhaled through his nose before speaking, then moved his other hand up to her door. "Well, Bones. If this _were_ a date, I'd thank you for having dinner with me."

She bit her lip, but didn't comment.

"And Bones," he slid his hand up her coated arm to rest against the door on the other side of her head. "If this _were_ a date, I'd tell you that you look amazing."

Her eyes darkened then, and he leaned in a bit closer.

"And, Bones…"he whispered, sliding one hand up her shoulder, under her hair, to cup the back of her neck, "If this _were _a date, I'd touch you like this, and you'd tilt your head to the side, and I'd lean down, just a bit more, like this….. and…I'd kiss you."

A slammed door down the hall broke the mood, and he stepped back, letting his fingers linger a bit as he slid them away from her skin, moving his arms back to his sides.

"_If_ this were a date" she spoke then, and he smiled.

"Yes. If…" His smile grew wider then and he backed up toward the elevator, keeping his eyes on hers. "Goodnight Bones. I'll see you on Monday."

Her hand moved up in a small wave. "Goodnight, Booth."

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Brennan's POV...sort of...to the same possible events...

They'd caught one another sneaking extra glances through dinner, but since each was also guilty, it wasn't possible to do much about it.

They'd had Chinese food, because in the end, she decided she didn't really want to fight about it. Not after the way she'd opened up emotionally. What was running over and over in her mind, though, was what he'd said. Someone for everyone.….

She wasn't necessarily ready to accept that as fact, but, what she couldn't deny was the way she'd been unable to look away from the emotion in his eyes.

He'd teased this week, more than normal, and she hadn't been prepared for it. Usually she was the one bringing up their sex lives, so to speak, but…this time had been all him.

So she was careful to keep her mind clear, as clear as possible as they walked to the door of her apartment. Clear, not clouded by any judgments, rash or calculated.

When they arrived to her door, he paused, and she knew by the look on his face he was about to change something.

"Are we on a date, Bones?"

Any other man would expect a flirty answer in affirmation, but when she met his eyes after a moment, he was still wondering.

"Booth. I don't know" she shrugged one shoulder, deciding to be honest.

He nodded. "Okay."

Brennan watched as he slid his hands into his coat pockets, and she placed her hands on his arms. "Why did you ask me that, Booth?"

He bit his lip and shrugged one shoulder. "I don't know. It just felt different tonight."

She tilted her head in a slight nod. "I concur"

He let the side of his mouth tip up in a small smile. "So, what now?"

She took a deep breath before speaking, running her hands from his wrists to his shoulders. "Well, Booth. If this _were_ a date, I'd thank you for dinner."

He blinked twice, but didn't comment.

"And Booth," she slid her hands down his back to wrap around his waist. "If this _were_ a date, I'd tell you that you smell really nice."

His eyes darkened then, and she leaned in a bit closer.

"And, Booth…"she whispered, sliding one hand up his shoulder, fingers sliding along his nape to cup the back of his neck, "If this _were_ a date, I'd touch you like this, and you'd tilt your head to the side, and I'd stretch up, just a bit more, like this.… and…I'd kiss you."

A slammed door down the hall broke the mood, and she pulled back, letting her fingers linger a bit as she slid them away from his skin, moving her arms back to her sides.

"_If_ this were a date" he spoke then, and she smiled.

"Yes. If…" Her smile grew wider then and she reached into her coat pocket for her keys, keeping her eyes on his. "Goodnight Booth. I'll see you on Monday."

His hand moved up in a small wave as he moved toward the elevator. "Goodnight, Bones."


End file.
